Air-diffusion machine



V. SLATER.

. AIR DiFFUSION MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1919.

1,346,471. Patented July 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

v. SLATER.

AIR DIFFUSION MACHINE.

APPUCATION FILED JAN. 3. I919.

. Patented July 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3444mm 24 /77 5741 67. W

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VERN SLATER, OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLAXO COMPANY, OF IOWACITY, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

AIR-DIFFUSION MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1920.

Application filed January 3, 1919. Serial No. 269.399.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VERN SLATER, a citizen of the United States,formerly of Denver, Colorado, and now residing at Iowa City, in thecounty of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Air-Diffusion Machines; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to air diffusion machines of a portable type, andwhich are particularly adapted for the dissemination or circulation ofthe air of rooms or like closed places, for obvious purposes, althoughwith proper attachments they may be employed with equal advantage inmany other relations.

In the prior art, including inventions of my own, somewhat analogousmachines are disclosed for diffusing medicated, deodorizing, or perfumedair, cooled, heated, or in a humidified state, and in this instant caseI make no especial claims to any such broad features per se. Nor do Imake any claim to an electrical heater as such, even though one of itselements is equipped with a properly controlled heating unit of anypreferred suitable type, the present invention residing in a unitary airdiffusion machine and the construction, arrangement and combination ofits elements themselves; and this notwithstanding that replaceable unitshave heretofore been employed in accomplishing separately the functionsof delivering either cool or humidified air or dry heated air,regardless of such air being medicated, deodorized, or perfumed.

It is now well understood that reasonably humid air, cool or heated, ismore efficacious, in point of healthy room service, than cool dry air orheated dry air, and in the latter instance a reason is assignable forthe not infrequent custom of placing a pan of water upon the top of aradiator or other dry heating unit, for giving off a certain amount ofmoisture. Under high authority, it is likewise fully recognized thatwhere the air in a room is comparatively humid, a desired warmth may beattained at a substantially lower actual temperature than if the air isquite dry. That is to say, one feels warmer if the air is humid, forinstance, at a temperature of 68 than if it is real dry and thetemperature registers 72. Thus not only may healthful conditions beaugmented, but also a substantial conservation of the heat generatingfuel may be provided for.

To this end a primary feature of my present improvements resides in theparticular novelly combined arrangement of elements and their functionalassociation whereby, without their replacement or substitution, they areso disposed, relatively to each other in the machine, that thehumidifying unit may be caused to function independently of the heaterunit, for delivering moistened cool air, or conjointly therewith fordelivering heated moistened air, while with the humidifying unitremoved, for certain purposes as where a tube is attached for hairdrying or the like, cool dry air or heated dry' air may be delivered asdesired.v

Another important object resides in the particular manner ofconstructing the delivery nozzle of the machine, which nozzle containsthe heating unit, whereby it will be maintained cool, while deliveringan intensive heat, so that the machine as a whole has no exposed part orportion liable to burn one by accidental contact therewith.

A further object is to provide such a ma chine, which is not onlyportable and of a compact and ornamental character, but which is alsosimple in construction, assembly, and operation; durable and efficientin action; and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the improvements, together with the widerange of uses in its application, will be so clearly apparent, asincidental to the following disclosure, that it would be mere surplusageto more specifically refer to them initially, and with this generalstatement, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings,illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which drawings-Figure 1, is substantially a central sectional view, taken in thevertical plane of the delivery nozzle, certain elements of the machinebeing shown in elevation;

Fig. 2, is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.1, and with the perfuming, deodorizing, or medicating cup removed; and

Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view, through the delivery nozzle andits contained heater unit, along the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The portable casing may be assembled from standardized sectional units,but in the drawings it has been shown as of integral formation,comprising a hollow base 1, a superposed open-ended tubular continuationor extension 2, and a surmounting hood or cowl top 3 therefor, the wholeproviding a lower base chamber 1, an upper air receiving chamber 5, andan intermediate, more or less restricted, suction chamber 6, insubstantially open communication with said air chamber 5, and providedwith an air outlet or delivery nozzle 7 projecting peripherallytherefrom, the several chambers being in direct vertical alinement.

The hollow base 1 is open at its bottom, and at the top of the chamber 6there is provided the internal deflector element 8, substantiallyapertured centrally, as at 9, and adapted to .direct the incomingpassage of air sucked into the intermediate chamber 6.

The nozzle 7 extends laterally from the periphery of this latter chamberwall, immediately below the deflector 8, and the outlet openingpreferably extends to the top of the lower chamber 41, an internal beador rim 10 being formed at substantially that position, for a purposelater referred to.

An electric motor, indicated conventionally at 11, is located in thechamber 1, and may be mounted on a base closure element 12, detachablysecured to the casing by stud bolts, a lower journal bearing 13 beingcentrally supported thereby, and which may comprise a hollow bosselement on the motor casing, similar to an upper journal bearing boss 11 mounted centrally of a spacing and division plate 15, adapted to restupon the upper end face plate of the motor casing, and engage beneaththe rib 10. The plate 1.5 not only provides means for holding the motorin its proper upright spaced position, but also serves as a baffle toprevent an abnormal suction of air down into the motor compartment.

The ends of the motor shaft are journaled in the bearings 13 and 14, theupper end 16 of the shaft projecting through and above its bearing.

A central hub 17, carried by the base 18 of a suctional fan blower, issecured to the projecting end of this shaft, as by a set screw 19. Thebase 18 of the fan blower may support any suitable form of vanes orblades, shown as upright spaced peripheral blades 20 suitably attachedto the base body, and substantially occupying the whole of the suctionchamber 6, providing a central open zone or eye, disposed immediatelybelow the deflector opening 9, thus being adapted to more positivelysuck in air from the chamber 5, while ejecting the same peripherally,with an equally positive direct force, through the diffusion nozzle 7,which latter is in direct alinement with the peripheral discharge fromthe suctional blower.

21 simply designate grease tubes or similar lubricating means for themotor shaft bearings, and 22 are base supporting buttons, which arepreferably formed of insulating material.

From the immediately preceding description, it will be apparent that themotor, fan, and division plate, may be assembled and inserted orwithdrawn from the motor and fan compartments as a whole, when reuired.

The hood 3 has a large top central aperture 23, which is cappedpreferably with a cover of gauze 24 or the like, for permitting of thefree entrance of air, while at the same time preventing any substantialobstructing substances from being sucked into the machine casing, andthe bottom of the hood terminates in an inset depending flange 25,adapted to extend within the upper end of the extension 2 in snugfitting relation.

The humidifying unit itself is of novel structure, the lower end andmain body portion of which is adapted to be supported within the upperair chamber 5, while its upper end may project well up into the hood 3.

Generically it consists of a lower liquid container, provided with avertical framework over which is fitted an absorbent stocking or textilecovering, of sufficiently coarse mesh to permit of the free passage ofair therethrough, when saturated by the capillary action of thecontained liquid in which the lower end of the covering is submergedafter the fashion of a wick.

As shown, 26 and 27 designate respectively an outer and an innerperipheral wall of the liquid containing tank, openly spaced at top butjoined by an integral bottom 28, providing a liquid containing chamber29 and the central opening 80, which latter may also have a protectingbottom screen closure if desired. The bottom of the tank is suitablysupported immediately above the deflector element 8, as by an internalrib 31, and in order to center and maintain the humidifier rigidlyagainst lateral displacement, I preferably provide the spring elements32, the sliding resilient engagement of which with the wall of theextension 2 enables the whole unit to be readily withdrawn or inserted,for obvious reasons, as will be evident.

33 designates a base supporting sleeve for the absorbent element of thehumidifier, which sleeve is adapted to slidingly engage or fit over theinner peripheral wall 27 of the tank. To this sleeve are fixedly securedthe lower ends of non-corrosive spaced arms tridge is submerged in theliquid of said tank, and is maintained highly moistened by the capillaryfeed of the liquid, which obviously may be plain water for ordinaryhumidifying purposes; but evidently thewater may be charged with aperfuming agent, for delicate scenting purposes, or even be a solutionof much stronger properties for fumigation or deodorizing, or for themedicating of the air of a room, all of which, however, is immaterialwith relation to the physical structure of the machine.

This specific arrangement is very desirable, as it provides means forremoving the absorbent covering support from the pan proper, forreplacing a new covering if desired; but obviously the lower ends of thearms 34 may be secured directly to the inner peripheral, wall 27 of thepan, without the interposition of the sleeve 33; and likewise a wiregauze casing support may be employed instead of the open frame-worksupport composed of the spaced vertical arms 34, which needs noillustration being an obvious expedient.

Referring now to the heater per .96, no specific novelty being claimedtherefor, it may be briefly described as comprising an elongatedcruciform structure 36 of mica strips or other insulator material,around which is wound, in spaced coils, a suitable wire 37 of highelectrical resistance, the ends of which are connected to terminal posts38-39, in the nature of laterally disposed contacting studs as willlater appear. However, the particular inounting, functioning, anddisposition of the heater, rela-' tively to the machine casing, is ofthe utmost importance, as is likewise the specific formation of thedetachable diffusion nozzle, containing the heater.

The cruciform mica structure 36 is rigidly supported by longitudinalangle plates 40, which in turn are held centered in a detachablediffusion nozzle 41 (also of novel structure) by being supported attheir inner ends upon a vertical plate 42, mounted within the inner endof the 'deetachable nozzle; and when this detachable nozzle, with itscontained heater, is fitted within the outlet extension .7 of themachine (being centered and guided by the pin and slot elements 43-44,Fig. 1) the lateral terminal stud posts 38-39, of the heater, are causedto ride over, in sliding contact with, a pair of spring terminals 45 46,mounted on insulating terminal posts 47-48 within the extension 7, whichlatter terminal posts afford by a double spinning, embodying an outerand an inner shell, the inner shell being designated by the numeral 51,while the two shells are so formed and associated in joined relation asto provide an annular space 52. This annular space is in the nature ofan encompassing air-tight chamber enveloping the heater, and maypreferably be exhausted of its air to provide a vacuum, for effectivelymaintaining the nozzle cool at all times, while emitting an intensiveheat from its contained heater. Thus in the whole machine there is noexposed heated portion, liable to cause injury by accidental contacttherewith, while at the same time the thermal insulating space 52negatives the loss of any heat by direct radiation, so that the heatedair, positively diffused into the exterior atmosphere, is of the maximumdegree, and is only limited by the size of the machine and its heatingelement, which may be obviously constructed on a larger or smaller scaleto meet varying conditions.

The tubular attachment 53, shown at the left in Fig. 1, has no especialbearing on the present invention, but simply illustrates that certainunits may be associated with the diffusion nozzle as desired-such forinstance as a suitable supply cup 54 (as shown) for containing aperfuming, a deodorizing, a fumigating, or a medicating agent or thelike, or even a tubular connection for hair drying or other purposes.

Finally, 55 designates conventionally a suitable electric switchjunction box, controlling an electric current through connecting circuitwires (not shown) for ope1- ating the motor independently of the heater,and also for shunting a current around the coil of the heaterconjointlywith the operation of the motor; all of which is sufficiently obviouswithout tracing out the circuits by an illustration of the specificconnections, requiring unnecessary detailed description.

From all of the foregoing, it is believed that the operation of themachine and the several novel features and advantages of the inventionwill be fairly apparent, but the exact operation may be briefly stated,in sequential order, as follows When it is simply desired to maintain acirculation of air in the room, for dry ventilating and minor coolingpurposes, as with the ordinary fan ventilator, the humidifier cartridgemay be removed separately or conjointly with its pan unit, and theswitch thrown to cause an electric current to flow around the windingsof the motor, causing the same to rotate without affecting the heatercoils, whereupon the fan blower sucks in dry air at its eye, through thedeflector opening 9, and peripherally discharges the dry incoming airpositively through the diffusion nozzle. If the dry air is to be heated,the switch is simply turned another point, causing a shunted current toflow around the coils of the heater, without disturbing the operation ofthe motor, whereupon the forcibly ejected dry air will become highlyheated, in passing through the heating zone within the nozzle, beforebeing diffused into the exterior atmosphere.

lVhen the humidifier unit is in place, which it normally is, the actionis similar to that described, but the mounting of the absorptivecartridge in the upper air chamher 5 necessitates the incoming air topass through all of the exposed pores thereof, whereby the air becomeshighly saturated. and humidified, the feed of the moistening liquidhaving already been explained. This is true whether the switch is so setas to cause the motor to operate solely or conjointly with the heater,dependent upon whether moistened cool air is to be delivered, or heatedmoistened air instead.

Obviously minor modifications might be made without departing from theunderlying principles of the invention, and it will be understood,therefore, that I do not limit myself necessarily to the exact detailsas illustrated and described, excepting as they may come within thepurview and scope of the ensuing claims, when fairly interpreted in thelight of the specification and understood equivalents.

What I do claim, as patentably novel, 1s:

1. An air diffusion machine embodying a portable casing having anenlarged air chamber at one end thereof, an air inlet therefor, an airoutlet therefor, and an intermediate chamber provided with means thereinoperating to draw air through said enlarged air chamber and positivelydischarge same through said air outlet, the said enlarged air chambercontaining a suitably mounted humidifier unit, and the said air outlethaving a suitably controlled heater unit directly associated therewith,the several elements coacting to function substantially as described.

2. An air diffusion machine embodying a portable casing having anenlarged air chamber at one end thereof, an air inlet therefor, an airoutlet therefor, an intermediate chamber provided with means operatingtherein to draw air through said enlarged air chamber and positivelydischarge same through said air outlet, and a diffusion nozzle in opencommunication with said air outlet as a continuation thereof, the saidenlarged air chamber containing a suitably mounted humidifier unit, andthe said diffusion nozzle containing a properly controlled heater unit,the several elements co-acting to function substantially as described.

3. An air diffusion machine embodying a portable casing having anenlarged air chamber at one end thereof, an air inlet therefor, an airoutlet therefor, an intermediate chamber provided with means operatingtherein to draw air through said enlarged air chamber and positivelydischarge same through said air outlet, and a diffusion nozzle in opencommunication with said air outlet, as a continuation thereof, andformed of an inner and an outer shell joined in air closed spacedrelation to provide an annular insulator space, the said enlarged airchamber containing a suitably mounted humidifier unit, and the saiddiffusion nozzle containing a properly controlled heater unit, theseveral elements co-acting to function substantially as described.

4. In an air diffusing machine, a portable casing provided with anincoming air chamber at its upper end, an air inlet therefor, an airoutlet therefor, and means operating to draw air through said incomingair chamber and positively discharge same through said air outlet, thesaidair outlet having a suitably controlled heater unit directlyassociated therewith; in combination with a humidifier unit, suitablymounted within said incoming air chamber, comprising a liquid containerformed by a centrally open bottom and spaced inner and outer peripheralwalls, providing a central open ended tubular element, an open frameworksupport projecting upwardly from the interior of said container, and awick-stocking covering for said framework support, the several elementsco-acting to function substantially as described.

5. In an air diffusion machine, a portable casing provided with anincoming air chamber at its upper end, an air inlet therefor, an airoutlet therefor, and means operating to draw air through said incomingair cham ber and positively discharge same through said air outlet, thesaid air outlet having a suitably controlled heater unit directlyassociated therewith; in combination with a humidifier unit, suitablymounted within said incoming air chamber, comprising a liquid containerformed by a bottom having a central opening and spaced inner and outerperipheral walls, providing an open ended central tubular element, anopen framework support mounted on a base support slidingly encompassingsaid tubular element, and a wick-stocking covering for said frameworksupport, the several elements coacting to function substantially asdescribed.

6. In an air diffusion machine, a portable casing provided with a motorchamber at its lower end, an incoming air chamber atits upper end, andan intermediate suction chamber confined by a transverse lowerdivlslonal partition cooperating with an internal upper deflectorpartition; in combination with from said suction. chamber ,and a'detachable diffusion nozzle directly mounted in open communication withsaid outlet nipple as a continuation thereof, the said diffusion nozzlecontaining a properly controlled heater 15 vunit, and the severalelements coacting to function substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

VERN SLATER.

